


Avatar: the Legend of Leah

by avatarzeldaboi



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-02 23:31:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21169691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avatarzeldaboi/pseuds/avatarzeldaboi
Summary: Years after the death of Avatar Korra the world is in turmoil. The rightful ruler of the fire nation has run off threatening to throw into civil war. meanwhile in the east a great conqueror who hates technology and progress has risen and is threatening to cross the earth kingdom and destroy republic city. how will this story go down? read and find out.There will be some violence but not much as well as some minor sexual stuff later on but not much so don'y worry about it.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I originally posted this on fanfiction.net but then i realized i like this site a lot more so i'm posting it here instead now.  
formatting was bad had to edit it
> 
> I know Leah isn't a very Asian name so it doesn't fit in this world that well but i like the name so i"m using it.  
this was kind of a weird chapter it was basically me trying to set the setting followed by a shitty prologue and also me figuring out what i actually want to do. I'm sure it will get better and if you're going to continue to read then thank you.  
Also any feedback/ constructive criticism is much appreciated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i originally posted this on fanfiction.net but i like this site more so i'm posting it here instead

During the reign of avatar Korra in the year 171 AG following the assassination of Earth Queen Hou-Ting, she was horribly injured at the hands of Zaheer and the Red Lotus. Following these events Avatar Korra was forced to spend three years at the south pole recuperating. With no Queen and no Avatar, the earth kingdom was thrown into complete chaos with seemingly no end in sight, until the captain of Zaofu’s guard Kuvira stepped up. The Great Uniter they called her, that was until she refused to hand power back to the earth kingdoms newly coronated and rightful ruler King Wu, and became a dictator declaring the Earth Kingdom her new Earth Empire. Avatar Korra however returned from her three-year hiatus in the year 174 AG, and with the help of her friends stopped Kuvira and elected to spare her life and in the progress opening a spirit portal. This is what people already know, however what they don’t know is what happened next.  
  
Wu elected to step down and abolish the monarchy favoring independent city states over a United Kingdom. Which at first made sense with the earth kingdom being massive, and having the Si Wong Desert in the middle; long-distance communication was difficult and it made it hard to govern city’s that were far away, this worked for a time bringing peace and balance to the world. Korra was able to settle down somewhat and marry Asami Sato in the year 179 AG, and together they adopted a baby girl they named Yasuko in the year 184 AG. However, while peace did last longer than anyone really expected with no more than minor skirmishes between states which was easily put down by the united forces, military from Ba Sing Sae which still held some authority in the surrounding area or, by Korra herself. Eventually an all-out war between two states occurred in the year 206 AG, northwest of the Si Wong Desert. Korra went to attempt to put what she assumed to be a skirmish down, she however unwittingly walked into the middle of no mans land just as each side began to bend massive boulders, fireballs, and shoot tank and canon fire at each other. Korra was by no means old at this point in her life, she was however slow from her injuries at a young age, and from the relative peace over the last thirty-two years. As well as being caught off guard she was only able to block a few boulders before being killed within a few moments. Both sides realizing what they had done stepped down fearing prosecution from other states, the united forces, or the Ba Sing Sae military. Their leaders were swiftly executed by their own people, there were no objections.  
  
The year was now 222 AG 16 years after Korra’s death. In the east on a large peninsula, southeast Ba Sing Sae and north of the eastern air temple in the mountains a new conquer has arisen. A man of unknown name, unknown origin with a hatred towards modern progress, and technology has gathered an army of non-bending foot soldiers and elite trained benders, he has vowed to set the world back to time long before the hundred-year war. Having already gained control over two city states he will soon set his sights on Ba Sing Sae, and make his way across the earth kingdom to Republic city the center of this technological boom. To the west in the fire nation the only nation capable of putting this new eastern army down with the help of the united forces, a war of succession has begun. With general Iroh having been killed in the line of duty years ago, Izumi’s daughter dead from a disease, and granddaughter having run off, the current fate of the fire nation remains in question, will her granddaughter be found? Or will someone new take the throne?  
  
\----- 212 AG  
  
Leah was riding in the back of her parents’ ostrich-horse drawn cart. It was a clear cold night on a back-wood trail the stars were shining brightly, the moon was high, and crickets chirped nearby. They had left her home town on the coast six days ago and were on their way to republic city, her parents were fabric merchants on their way to sell exotic fabrics from the southern water tribe and the fire nation. It was late about 11:00 PM, and Leah was almost asleep in the back of the cart wrapped in blankets listening to her parents talk.  
  
“Do you think we should stop and set up camp for the night?” asked Leah’s mother.  
  
“No, I think were almost to the next town and we can find an inn for the night.” Replied her father.  
  
“It would be nice to spend the night in a warm, soft bed instead of on the cold hard ground in a cheap sleeping bag.”  
  
Suddenly three cutthroats jumped out from the bushes one pulled a chunk of earth from the ground, one pulled some water from a bag he carried at his side, and the last one drew a sword. Leah’s father drew his own sword, it glinted in the moonlight shiny like silver though it was made from a sturdy steel, it was about an arms length long and although it was mostly straight it curved back for the last couple inches, and her mother drew up several spikes of earth.  
  
“We don’t have to fight” said Leah’s father “we can resolve this peacefully, just tell us what you want and we can work this out peacefully.”  
  
“You know normally I’d say sure give us everything you have and we’ll let you live. But the boys have some pent-up aggression after fleeing from the law so I told them they could kill the next people we robbed” replied the rogue earthbender  
  
Leah’s mother and father leapt from the front of the cart where they were sitting her mother threw several spikes at the man with the sword, he managed to block most of them but one took him in the shoulder causing him to drop his sword. The rogue earthbender starts throwing chunks of earth at Leah’s father, but he dodged getting up close to the man. The earthbender tried to backward to get away from her father but he closed the to quickly and slit the earthbenders throat. He immediately whirled around and stick his sword right through the man with the swords’ chest, he pulled his sword out of the man’s chest, but before he could anymore a thin spike up ice pierced his skull killing him instantly. Leah’s mother seeing this flew into a rage throwing rock after rock at the final opponent, the waterbender. She blocked all the water thrown at her easily, she had as much earth at her disposal she wanted, and he only a bit of water from a bag at his hip she was about to end it when suddenly.  
  
“Daddy?” said Leah questioningly seeing him lying the ground unmoving.  
  
“Leah, RUN HID-“ her mother was cut off; a spike of ice protruding from her throat.  
  
“NOOO!!! MOMMY!” shouted Leah.  
  
“Thanks, little girl for distracting her, I don’t think I could have killed her otherwise. Tell you what get out of my way and I won’t kill you.” Said the waterbender coldly.  
  
Leah knew she was an earthbender she had discovered it a couple of weeks ago while having a temper tantrum. Her mother had only given her a couple of lessons since then. She was so angry she couldn’t even think straight but she knew she had to do something she just didn’t know what. Suddenly she felt this power, this flow of energy course though her like the most powerful bender in the world took control. She opened the ground beneath the waterbenders feet and he fell in, she then closed the earth squishing and killing him, leaving no sign it ever been opened. Exhausted she had just enough energy to crawl back onto the cart and curl up in the blankets before crying herself to sleep.  
  
Daewon had woken early this morning around six AM and had been on the road for a couple of hours. Daewon was by no means a good man but he wasn’t a bad man either. He tried to help people when they were truly needy though only ever a little bit because he himself was almost always in need of help. He couldn’t hold down a job for very long either because it was just too boring or he said something he shouldn’t have to his boss and got fired. So, he liked to roam the earth kingdom picking up odd jobs at farms and the like for a meal, bed and a little bit of spending cash for the road.  
  
\- He was too poor to afford an ostrich-horse so he was on foot this morning. While walking he noticed what seemed like an abandoned cart on the side of the road. When he got closer, he realized that it wasn’t abandoned it way he thought more just that life had abandoned the owners of the cart as there were four dead body’s lying around it.  
“what the hell happened here” he thought. “well I guess I should look around see if there’s anything worth taking then report this at the next town. Too bad it looks like the ostrich-horses ran off I really could have used one of those”.  
  
Suddenly he heard soft just barely audible crying from the back of the cart. It sounded like a little girl.  
  
“He-Hello?” he said questioningly.  
  
No response. He approached the back of the cart slowly and carefully, partially out of a habit of just always being careful, partially because he didn’t want to frighten the little girl that was most likely hiding in the back. Then he saw her a little girl that looked to be about four sniffling, and crying. She backed away when she saw him looking at her.  
“I-It’s okay little girl I won’t hurt you.” He said it softly trying to sound as comforting as possible.  
  
The girl just looked at him  
  
“What’s your name?” said Daewon.  
  
“Leah.” Said the girl quietly her voice quivering as tears continued to role down her cheeks.  
  
“That’s a beautiful name.” said Daewon. “My name is Daewon. Why don’t you come out of there and take you the next town it’s really close another half hour walk at the most.”  
  
Slowly but surely, she climbed out taking a stuffed badger mole a little smaller than her head with her. Once she was standing there, he could see what she looked like, she was short only about three feet tall, her eyes were bright green and she had long jet-black hair down to the small of her back.  
  
“what’s his name?” said Daewon pointing at the stuffed badger mole.  
  
“Her. Mimi.” She said still quiet but her voice was no linger quivering.  
  
“How old are you Leah?” asked Daewon crouching down to her level.  
  
“Six.” She replied.  
  
“Well you look much younger.” He said trying to sound casual.  
  
“I know so what?” she said somewhat snippily. He supposed it was something she didn’t much like to talk about, that kind of thing can cause other kids to make fun of you.  
  
“Sorry.” He said quickly trying to get her mind off it. “are you parents-?” he cut off not really sure what to say.  
  
“Dead.” She managed to choke out in an almost monotone voice through a sob.  
  
“I-If you point them out, I can bury them for you if like, and then I’ll take you to the next town, find someone to take care of you.” He said it cautiously not wanting to upset her further.  
  
She nodded, pointed them out and a sword that he assumed belonged to her father, and that she wanted to take it with her.  
  
A few hours later he had buried the bodies and passed the girl off to a seemingly kind woman, the girl having nothing but her stuffed badger mole, her father’s sword, and a bag of clothes, and a blanket in the next town Dai Chao it was called. For a town that was seemingly in the middle of nowhere it was surprisingly busy, though still barley a fraction of the size of Ba Sing Sae or Republic City. When he passed the girl off to the woman most of the down was including the local law enforcement, he told what had happened, or what he knew at least, and assumed the girl would be alright, and that the proper things would be done about the cart. Since he couldn’t find any work in the town and there was still a fair amount of daylight, he said goodbye to the girl and moved on knowing he would probably never see her again, and hoping she would be alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Leah isn't a very Asian name so it doesn't fit in this world that well but i like the name so i"m using it.  
this was kind of a weird chapter it was basically me trying to set the setting followed by a shitty prologue and also me figuring out what i actually want to do. I'm sure it will get better and if you're going to continue to read then thank you.  
Also any feedback/ constructive criticism is much appreciated.


	2. Leaving

222 AG  
Leah was practicing sword forms in the backyard of her blade instructor. She started with heron wading in the rushes a form that was mainly for practicing balance. She moved through a few more forms such as parting the silk before flowing into the moon rises over water, her waist length ponytail swishing as she moved, and her slit skirt flowing out wards as she twirled into the cyclone rages, sweat pouring down her brow. The sun was high is the sky, and there was barely a cloud in sight. In the distance she could here insects buzzing, birds chirping, and… the earth rumbling? 

Before she could move into her next form a badger mole burrowed out from underground, startling her, causing her to lose balance, and more or less go flying. The badger mole, her pet she had rescued when she was eight and it was an infant was her best friend, and earth bending teacher. Named Mimi after her stuffed animal.

“Mimi, I told you not to tunnel under me like that.” Leah said lying flat on her back.

The badger mole merely grunted and sniffed at her.

“Right, I forgot you can’t understand me. Or you can and just don’t care, either way I can’t understand you.” Leah said somewhat annoyed.

She got up sheathing her sword on her back, and walked over to small cube of metal to attempt to bend it. 

About a week ago a metal bender had passed through her town of Dai Chao and while he had only stayed one night and gotten back on the road the next morning, he had tried to teach Leah to metalbend. She hadn’t been able to get it then, but since then she had been able to bend it a little bit using the lessons, he had given her and the tip “feel the trace amounts of earth in the metal and bend that.” It had helped a little bit.

After a few minutes of trying and getting no where she sighed and put it down giving up. Leah went inside to check on her blade master, master Hiroki. When Leah was thirteen, she met the old master Hiroki, and he having not had anyone to train in a long time agreed to take her on as an apprentice. While three years of training hadn’t made her a blade master, she was pretty good, one of his best ever students or so he said. In addition to being close to being a blade master she had more or less mastered earth bending thanks to her badger mole.

Master Hiroki was unfortunately, dying from old age. Leah was upset because he was one of the few people in this town she actually liked. On her way in she filled a glass of water for him.

“Here you go master Hiroki.” said Leah as she handed him a glass of water.

“Ahh thank you girl.” he said weakly lying in bed propped up against some pillows.

After taking a long sip he continued “how goes your practice girl?”

“it’s going well I think I have all the forms down at least pretty well now.” 

“that’s good, and putting a slit in you skirt helped improve your mobility yes?” 

“Yes, you were right.” she said grudgingly.

“And you can wear shorts underneath for modesty.” he replied smugly.

She rolled her eyes at him.

“isn’t it your birthday today?” said Hiroki.

“Yeah so?” Leah replied somewhat defensively.

“Your sixteen correct?”

“Yes.”

“Shouldn’t you be spending it with your mother?”

“she’s not my mother.” said Leah angrily. “And besides someone needs to take care of you.” She said calming down somewhat.

“she may not be your mother but she has raised you the past ten years, and I know she wants to spend the day with you; besides I have people coming to check on me multiple times a day, I’ll be fine.” He said in a very matter of fact way.

“Fine” she said getting up “but I’ll be back to check on you later at the end of the day.”

“I have no doubt.” He said as Leah left the room.

-

“There you are.” Said Thalia, Leah’s adoptive mother as Leah walked in the door. “You could have at least told me you were going out.”

“I was just practicing at Hiroki’s.” said Leah

“I got you something” said Thalia pulling out a box. 

Leah opened the box; it was a sturdy looking wool cloak with a large hood.

“I know you want leave town and try to find the town your parents were from; I also know the only clue you have is to go north. You might get cold this town is unusually warm and that was on your parents cart years ago” said Thalia.

“Thank you. How did you know?” said Leah surprised?

“Kari’s father told me, and I’m assuming you told Kari?” Thalia said like a question.

Kari was Leah’s best (and only, aside from Mimi) friend, and the only person in town she liked besides master Hiroki. “yeah I told her.” Leah said reluctantly.

“Here this most of the money that was on the cart as well.” Thalia said handing her a small bag of coins.

“Thanks. I guess I’ll go pack a few things now, I want to leave soon.” Leah said a bit sadly, surprising herself, she thought she’d be happier when she finally left. 

-

Thalia had never been so nice to Leah. She was always making her work, which she supposed was fair since she was living in her house. But she never took an interest in her, never wanted to talk. She barley even bothered to console after her parents had died and she’d just been left in this town. Leah didn’t even know what town or city she and her parents had been from, although she intended to try to find out even though she didn’t think she’d be able to.

Thalia had never really even cared that Leah was an earth bender, other than using it to make her gardening go faster. Leah was, as far as she knew the only earth bender in town. Making her pretty unique. The only other benders in town were her friend Kari, and Kari’s father, both of whom were fire benders.

-

Kari was at her father’s butcher shop watching her father Natsuo work. Her father was the typical honor obsessed fire nation citizen. They had moved here after Kari’s mother had died while she was young, so Kari wasn’t as versed in the ways of the fire nation and didn’t really care about honor. Her father had never really bothered to teach her any of her culture but he had taught her to fight, not that she used for anything besides sparring with her father or Leah. 

“Kari can you come help me? I need you to roast that piece of meat” her father called out.

“sure.” Said Kari and began to slowly roast the meat.

Kari assumed her father wanted her to become a butcher like he was, or maybe join the fire navy like he used to be in, before her mother had died. She didn’t want to do either of those things, she really only wanted to fight to defend herself if absolutely necessary, or in a sparring match though she really only liked sparring with Leah since her father took things way to seriously and with Leah, she could just have fun and be herself. Also, she didn’t really even like meat. 

Shortly after she had finished a messenger came up to her and her father to inform them that master Hiroki, the old blade master had passed away and that there would a funeral tonight. Kari hadn’t known master Hiroki very well but she knew he was very close to Leah and had taught her everything she knew about the way of the sword. 

The town was small enough that even though not everybody knew everybody in town mostly the entire town would be there tonight.

-

Kari arrived at where the ceremony was being held with her father and immediately started looking for Leah.

She finally found Leah standing near where they were burying him. Leah was wearing what she always wore a loose green skirt that went down to her shins and had an invisible unless moving slit up the side to allow for mobility in a fight. Kari never understood how Leah was able to move so gracefully, so effortlessly, skirt or no, it was she almost always lost to Leah in a sparring match. She also wore a green sleeveless shirt that exposed her midriff. Her hair was jet black, recently cut down to just below her shoulders instead of her waist and loose instead of in her customary ponytail. She had beautiful bright emerald green eyes that while was normally sparkling seemed sad today.

Kari stood there looking at her friend, who had always been there for her when she was upset or needed someone to talk to. Who she had only ever seen cry once when she had first been brought to town after her parents had died. Her friend who had always seemed so strong, invincible even. Her friend who she had secretly had crush on for the past five years, who she secretly wanted to be more than just her best friend though she didn’t think she could ever admit it to anyone especially Leah. Her friend stood there softly crying, and not knowing what else to do Kari went over to Leah and held her until the end of the ceremony, not a word passing between them.

-

After the ceremony when everybody had already left Kari and Leah sat under a tree together, Leah resting her head Kari’s shoulder and Kari resting head on top of Leah’s head. During the ceremony Leah had stopped crying now she had begun again.

“Kari I was at his house earlier today, he seemed fine.” Leah said shakily.

Kari took Leah’s hand and squeezed it urging her to continue speaking.

“He told me to leave and said that he would be fine and then he died. What if… what if I had stayed? Maybe I could have helped him and… and… what if it’s my fault he died?” She sobbed the last part. 

“Leah look at me, it is not your fault you couldn’t have known what would happen.” Kari said staring into Leah’s eyes.

“you’re… you’re right.” Said Leah somewhat reassured, letting Kari put her arms around her and hold her.

After sitting together in silence for a while Kari said “you know I don’t think I’ve seen you cry in ten years.”

“Are you making fun of me Kari?” Leah said sounding a little angry but not moving.

“No of course not, it’s just I guess I don’t see this side of you very often, and you’ve always been there for me when I was even just a little bit upset. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m just glad I can be here for you when you need me.” Kari said.

“I’m glad you’re here too.” Leah said. 

After a few more moments of silence Leah said softly “I’m leaving soon, tomorrow maybe, there’s no reason for me to stay here any more.”

“What about me?” Kari said just as quietly turning her head slightly so Leah’s hair tickled her lips.

“You could come with me.” Leah said almost pleadingly Kari thought.

“I don’t know, maybe I would but I don’t thing my father would let me.” Said Kari 

“Please come with me Kari, you’re one of the few things in this town I care about and I know you don’t like it here either. Besides you don’t have to tell your father, just leave him a note so he doesn’t think you were kidnapped. He wouldn’t even be that surprised he already knows I’m going.” Leah said definitely pleadingly that time.

Kari thought about this for a few moments, and finally said “okay fine but when do we leave?”

“Early tomorrow morning. Pack a bag tonight and I’ll come get you in the morning.” Leah said starting to sound eager.

“fine I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.” Kari said getting up.

-

Kari was asleep when suddenly she felt another body on top of hers and a hand on her mouth to stifle her scream.

“Shhh. It’s just me” Leah whispered in her ear”

“Leah? You scared the shit out of me. How did you even get up here?” Kari said her heart thudding away in her chest.

“I’m an earth bender I made a pillar, rode it up and came in through your window.” Leah replied sounding like her usual happy self again.

“What time is it, and where did you get this cloak you’re wearing?” 

“it’s four maybe five AM, and Thalia gave me the cloak, she said I might get cold.”

“She knows your leaving?” Kari said a bit surprised.

“Your father told her. But I told her I was going to leave early this morning.”

“Oh sorry. I didn’t mean to tell him it just sort of came up.”

“It’s all right. Have you packed a bag?”

“Yes” Kari responded

“Okay get up, write him a quick note and let’s go.” Leah said eagerly.

“I can’t.”

“Why not?” Leah said confused.

“You’re sitting on me.” Kari was painfully aware of close they were.

“Oh sorry.” Leah said getting off. Kari thought Leah was blushing but it was hard to tell by the moonlight.

After writing a quick note to her father grabbing her bag and being earth bent down away from the window Kari and Leah found themselves on the outskirts of town with Leah’s badger mole Mimi.

“Mimi has saddle bags you can put your bag into. Their pretty strong they shouldn’t break when she goes underground, and we can ride Mimi at least some of the time.” Leah said.

“Great.” Kari said putting her bag away and smiling at Leah. 

Sitting on Mimi’s back Kari leant against Leah both of them under her cloak to keep warm as she drifted back to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the blademaster and sword form stuff is from the wheel of time i just thought it sort of fit so i figured why not use it


End file.
